1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image forming apparatuses, program updating methods and computer-readable storage media, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that updates a program thereof, a program updating method for such an image forming apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute a program updating.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image forming apparatuses such as a printer, a copying machine, a scanner, a facsimile machine and a Multi-Function Peripheral (MFP), although there are restrictions on a memory or the like, a CPU is provided similarly as in the case of a general-purpose computer, and various functions are realized by controls performed by applications. The MFP realizes the functions the printer, the copying machine, the scanner and the facsimile machine within a single housing. Some of the image forming apparatuses are provided with a platform for implementing and executing the applications. After such an image forming apparatus is forwarded to a user, applications suited for an environment in which the user wishes to use the image forming apparatus are created and installed into the image forming apparatus, so as to provide a variety of versatile functions, as proposed in a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-269619, for example.
When it is necessary to install or update the application of a plurality of image forming apparatuses or a remote image forming apparatus, an efficient way to install or update the application of a target image forming apparatus is to remotely install or update the application from a personal computer (PC) or the like that is connected to the target image forming apparatus via a network.
However, in the case of the remote installing or the remote updating, an install process or an update process (both hereinafter referred also referred to as “an updating process”) is carried out in a background of the image forming apparatus. For this reason, the user who is operating the image forming apparatus, such as the user who is making a copying operation on the image forming apparatus, may not be aware that the updating process is simultaneously being carried out in the image forming apparatus. As a result, there is a possibility that the user will turn OFF the power of the image forming apparatus while the updating process is being carried out.
When the updating process is interrupted by the turning OFF of the power of the image forming apparatus, a file that is the target of the updating may be destroyed, and a mismatch may occur among a plurality of files that are related to the file that is the target of the updating. In such cases, there is a possibility that the image forming apparatus will no longer be able to operate in a normal manner.
On the other hand, even if the updating process itself is successfully carried out, an increase in the memory space occupied by the application after the updating may cause a lack of memory space when the image forming apparatus is thereafter booted. In such a case, the image forming apparatus may not be able to operate in a normal manner.